I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to paint can lids and, more particularly, to a paint can lid which is especially suited for use with automatic stirring equipment.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Many automotive body shops and the like use automatic paint stirring or paint mixing equipment. Such equipment includes a rack having a plurality of shelves which support a plurality of different paint cans typically filled with paint of different colors. Furthermore, the conventional lid on the paint can is replaced by a substitute lid having a stirring element, a spout and a closure which selectively opens and closes the spout. Upon insertion of the paint can into the paint can rack, mechanical means engage the stirring element so that paint in the paint can is continuously mixed or stirred while the can is positioned in the rack. In this fashion, when paint from the can is required, the paint can is removed from the rack, paint from the can dispensed and then the paint can is returned to the rack so that mixing of the paint continues.
An operating lever on the paint can lid is connected with the closure so that depression of the operating lever moves the closure from a closed to an open positioned. Furthermore, there are essentially two types of different closures that are common place in the market today.
In the first type of closure, known as the "open mouth" closure, depression of the operating lever pivots the closure so that an inner end of the closure extends obliquely upwardly from the spout. Once the operating lever is released, the closure returns to its closed position in which the closure covers the pouring spout.
In the second type of paint can lid, known as the "slider" closure depression of the operating lever radially inwardly slideably retracts the closure with respect to the pouring spout so that the outer most end of the pouring spout is opened. Paint from the can can then be dispensed in the desired fashioned. After the paint has been dispensed, release of the operating lever allows the closure to slide radially outwardly again the covering the pouring spout in the desired fashion.
In order to accommodate users of both the slider or open mouth closures, it has been the previous practice for manufacturers of paint mixing equipment to manufacture two completely different lids, one lid tier the sliding closure and one lid for the open mouth element. This necessarily and disadvantageously increases the overall tooling cost and manufacturing cost for the lids.